Highstreet Halloween

Gabija Gataveckaite

Although some may like hours and hours of costume planning and immaculate perfection of their outfits for that special party, dressing up isn’t for everyone. By scouring sites like Boohoo and ASOS, the only casual style guide you’ll ever need is right here.

For girls:

Dressing up doesn’t have to be so literal. There is nothing wrong with taking a casual approach – a simple outfit with a pair of bunny or cat ears never hurt anybody. Inject some Halloween imagery into your pieces; for example, Boohoo stock mesh tops with cobweb embroidery, tights with skulls, classic fishnets. Rework some things you already have in your wardrobe – utilise old black dresses, black shorts and those ankle boots you’ve worn twice.

Use accessories to add a festive touch- ASOS have beautiful masquerade eye masks, embellished in lace or headbands, with creepy black flower assortments. Jewellery never fails; black chokers, bracelets or even skeleton head earrings all add to the theme, don’t break the bank and can be reused year after year. If you’re feeling brave, buy some fake blood and go mad to spice up any outfit. You can even whip out some black eyeshadow and create wounds on any skin showing.

If celebrating Halloween isn’t just a one night fling but a month long affair, quirky t-shirts are the answer- with slogans like ‘I got 99 problems but a witch ain’t one’ and ‘Careful I bite’, Boohoo’s got you covered. Pair these with your regular every day style, but add a darker touch, like grungy goth makeup- darker eye makeup, like thicker winged eyeliner or cranberry and brown toned eyeshadows.

Invest in a pair or two of stomper boots, otherwise known as ‘man-repeller boots’- loaded in chains and metal pieces, with thick soles and a heavy duty look. Not only will these keep you out from the cold, they will last years and years, and since when have a pair of Doc Martens ever failed anybody?

For guys:

Halloween style isn’t just for girls, guys can pull it off too. The key is to know what to look for. If you’re heading to an event and are looking for casual costume ideas, perhaps consider chatting to one of your pals who loves makeup. In that way, you can keep your outfit casual, but with some special effects trickery on your face, turn up with cuts, scars or wounds.

For the brave, the classic ‘zipper face’ will turn heads. Scour the likes of Instagram, print off a few ideas and recruit a makeup artist. Plenty of student MUAs will do a cheap and cheerful job.

Makeup:

Talented special effects lads on Instagram include Alex Faction, an American make-up hero who creates unbelievably realistic and frightening designs. Thankfully, Boohoo are offering 40 per cent for menswear, so the time to snap up any Halloween pieces is now. Quirky t-shirts with festive prints like spiders, pumpkins and skeleton imagery will work all month long.

If you’re looking to get serious, they also stock some simple SFX makeup, like fake fangs, Dracula teeth and glow in the dark makeup. Try your hand at some speargum and prosthetics with online tutorials. Even though they may seem slightly challenging at first, the end result will be worth it! Make sure to practice your look once or twice before the big night, so that you can fix any problems.

For a higher budget, ASOS is the place to look with more intricate graphic tees and jumpers. They also stock festive trousers – skinny pants embellished with pumpkins and black skinny jeans with blood dripping from the knees. Bloody shirts, top hats and even bat capes: for the more ambitious man, ASOS has it all. Visualise a simple outfit idea, or get inspired by flicking through menswear pages, you never know what you’ll find.

If you’re going all out or putting as little effort in as possible, remember every rule in fashion is there to be broken. Inject your own personality and style in whatever you wear – just put a little festive twist on a casual outfit. Accessories are key and can spice up any outfit, any time of year. Go wild with makeup and special effects, if you’re wearing heels bring a pair of flats and don’t forget some makeup remover once it’s all said and done. Don’t throw out any creations you come up with or new pieces, there’s always next year!